Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Inspectors Report Card
Aired January 09, 2003 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the White House and John King. And, certainly, John, we're watching things today and watching things at the end of the month. What then happens, given the scenario, as it is laid out right now, when that deadline comes and goes on the 27th of January?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Bill, White House officials insist that it depends on how Iraq behaves between now and the deadline, less than three weeks away now. This topic came up yesterday when President Bush met with the National Security Council yesterday at the White House, Secretary Powell on hand. It was discussed at that meeting, we are told, the recent intelligence sharing with the inspectors in Iraq.
U.S. officials say they want the inspectors to be much more aggressive in the days leading up to that deadline, and then they have to wait to see what Hans Blix tells the Security Council, because one of the chief concerns here as it has been from the beginning is the United States does not want to be alone or only with Great Britain in saying Iraq is in breach, the United States and Britain think there should be a military conflict.
So the United States says it has in the last couple of weeks, sources telling us, Secretary of State Powell confirming publicly begun sharing much more sensitive information about where it thinks Iraq is hiding stockpiles, mostly of chemical and biological weapons. They're hoping the inspectors have something to report to the United Nations that gives the president the chance to make his case as to whether a military conflict or whether the president will say, see, the inspections are working, let's be even more aggressive in the weeks and months ahead. Officials insist that decision has not been made, and it depends what happens between now and January 27th.
HEMMER: We'll have to watch. Thank you, John. John King, Front Lawn this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 9, 2003 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to the White House and John King. And, certainly, John, we're watching things today and watching things at the end of the month. What then happens, given the scenario, as it is laid out right now, when that deadline comes and goes on the 27th of January?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Bill, White House officials insist that it depends on how Iraq behaves between now and the deadline, less than three weeks away now. This topic came up yesterday when President Bush met with the National Security Council yesterday at the White House, Secretary Powell on hand. It was discussed at that meeting, we are told, the recent intelligence sharing with the inspectors in Iraq.
U.S. officials say they want the inspectors to be much more aggressive in the days leading up to that deadline, and then they have to wait to see what Hans Blix tells the Security Council, because one of the chief concerns here as it has been from the beginning is the United States does not want to be alone or only with Great Britain in saying Iraq is in breach, the United States and Britain think there should be a military conflict.
So the United States says it has in the last couple of weeks, sources telling us, Secretary of State Powell confirming publicly begun sharing much more sensitive information about where it thinks Iraq is hiding stockpiles, mostly of chemical and biological weapons. They're hoping the inspectors have something to report to the United Nations that gives the president the chance to make his case as to whether a military conflict or whether the president will say, see, the inspections are working, let's be even more aggressive in the weeks and months ahead. Officials insist that decision has not been made, and it depends what happens between now and January 27th.
HEMMER: We'll have to watch. Thank you, John. John King, Front Lawn this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
